So you're telling a ravishingly beautiful woman like Caroline Munro within a few minutes would be itching and desperate to go out on a date with a random, exceptionally ordinary looking man like Joe Spinell after he turns up on her doorstep? Yeah ... right.I'm not saying the film doesn't have a few well setup and directed moments which are impressive, but in an overall sense, 'Maniac' doesn't really transcend its trashy, exploitation film roots even though it tries to do so.

This sick quickie earned its notoriety thanks to its high gore content, taking bloody special effects to a new sickening level of realism thanks to the work of master craftsman Tom Savini. Other than the gore, it's a grim, on-the-street style film, brought to gritty life by director William Lustig (a major film fan himself). It often recalls other films like TAXI DRIVER (a film in which Spinell had a bit part) in its depiction of a New York filled with litter, sleaze and low-lives and it has to be said that this is a depressing, non-entertaining ride through some of the lowest quarters imaginable.The plot is routine, a series of murders as in a slasher film, interspersed with disturbing moments inside Frank Zito's flat, where he talks to his dead mother and imagines that the mannequins around him are real people. It certainly is a sick film, one for those with strong stomachs only; Savini outdoes himself with the gore here, from graphic impalings to throat slashings, garrottings and stabbings. The film is also notorious for a head explosion by shotgun blast (Savini contrived to pull the trigger and shoot himself, in a small role as Disco Boy) which is more graphic than the one in SCANNERS! Yet the worst bits are the scalpings, played out in excruciating slow motion, as we get to see every detail as Zito slices the hair off his victims with a straight razor. Spinell sweats and grimaces as the disturbed psychopath, haunted by memories of childhood torture at the hands of his mother. Yet he also provokes pathos thanks to his plight, and you end up feeling sorry for this monster despite the horrendous acts he commits. Although Spinell starred in many productions this will forever be remembered as his most defining moment. The only other star name is glamour queen Caroline Munro (who re-teams with Spinell after Italian sci-fi epic STARCRASH). Munro isn't much of an actress but she is pretty, so her relationship with Spinell is the result of a bit of artistic license, I think. The film is full of tension and suspense, with the highlight being the lengthy stalking of a nurse, which literally had me on the edge of my seat throughout; fingernail-biting stuff. Things are definitely weird at the finale, where there's a scare copied from CARRIE and a final mutilation which looks to have been copied in DAY OF THE DEAD.

This low budget romp through the American nightmare is not really a slasher film, though it does see a maniac running around murdering people for no apparent, or perhaps that should be no rational, motive. This guy is eclectic if nothing else: he murders men as well as women, and he uses both weapons and his hands. "Maniac" is set in New York, and as crime buffs may know, a few years earlier a bloke name Berkowitz was running around doing essentially the same thing, though the Son of Sam was positively normal compared with this guy. So what is his problem?It appears to be something to do with his late mother, that and the fact that eventually he attacks the wrong damsel, who gives as good as she gets and then some. It is likely this film was intended as a quasi-serious exploration of madness, but with gore for the sake of it and absent a proper plot, it is nothing more nor less than yet more outpourings of a sick mind, most probably that of its New York born director William Lustig.

The beginning of the 80s saw a glut of slasher films being released on the public. Many of these were, naturally, holiday-themed films playing off the success of HALLOWEEN. Then, there were the grimier slashers films, often bordering on exploitation, sometimes known as Splatter films for their rampant blood and gore. Make no mistake, this movie falls firmly into that category, but it is, in my opinion, the best of that bunch and stands out above a pack of forgettable movies.One of the first things that really stands out to me is the dirtiness of the film, on several levels. Taken literally, the movie was shot on 16 mm film, which lends itself well to a feeling of being someone's nasty little home movie. The background of a pre-cleaned up New York City plays into this as well. This is almost a perfect snapshot document of what the city felt like in 1980. The dirtiness, also, applies, of course, to the subject matter. These aren't the typically elaborate, fantasized killings of a Jason Voorhees movie, where the viewer is left with a certain naughty glee. These are brutal killings done to terrified women in real world situations. The result of all of this is a feeling that you are watching something you shouldn't be.This certainly translates into Joe Spinnell's character as well. Again making a connection to the more popular slasher films, we don't have an "anti-hero" here. This isn't some comic book slasher cracking one-liners while dispensing teens in fun ways. Much like HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER, this is a true psychopath who feels like a fully fleshed character. You might see this guy pop up on an A&E documentary about violent crime. That, to me, adds to the gritty realism of this movie. Lustig pushes that further by making the villain the main character. Unlike a traditional slasher where we follow a "final girl" while she brings us through the story, this movie focuses squarely on Spinnell's maniac and brings us the world through his eyes.Of course, all of this would not have made this film such an underground legend were it not for the incredible effects of Tom Savini. At this time, TS was the undisputed master in horror efx and was making a killing (get it) pumping out effects for slasher movies. This might be his absolute best work, though. The shotgun scene and the final climax are phenomenal work that still hold up pretty well 35 years later. Even the "simple efx" like the scalpings are done well and look real. Again, this adds to the illusion of the movie for me. This isn't a Fulci or Romero movie with candy colored gore and over-the- top efx. All of it adds to this feeling of watching a snuff film.If you're a fan of stuff like LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT or the aforementioned HENRY, this movie is definitely up your alley.